Sap gathering spout



Nov. 1, 1960 w. H. HATToN SAP GATHERING sPouT Filed March 9, 1959 SAP GATHERING SPOUT William H. Hatton, Morgan, Vt.

Filed Mar. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 798,276

1 Claim. (Cl. 4`752) This invention relates to sap gathering sponts and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is the cardinal object of the invention to provide a sap gathering spout which may be readily secured in a tree trunk and of such construction as to enable the spout to be used in the conventional way, namely, the support of a pail or bag adjacent the discharge end of the spout for collection of the sap; or upon rotary movement of the spout to a reverse position may be readily connected to a pipe line for transporting the sap to a sugar or sap collection depot.

More specically, it is an object of the invention to provide a sap spout which is constructed from aluminum tubing, one end of which is formed with sharp wood-screw threads exterior of the tubing to effect securement of the spout in a tree trunk and prevent leakage of sap therearound; the opposite end of the tubing being provided upon the exterior thereof with machine screw threads enabling the spout to be connected in a pipe line, said tubing being bent at a substantially right angle inwardly of the machine screw threads forming a hand grip for rotating the spout during placement in a tree trunk, as well as to locate sap-discharge openings formed in the tubing for discharge or non-discharge positions as may be required, said spout further including an annular kerf intermediate said openings for support of a bucket, bag or the like for collection of sap discharged through said openings of the spout when in one position thereof.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective View of the sap collecting spout, illustrating the positions in which the spout may be employed.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the spout, and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the spout attached between a collection line and tree trunk, partly in section.

There is illustrated a sap gathering spout generally indicated by the reference character which is constructed from a suitable length of aluminum tubing. The tubing is formed at one end with sharp wood-screw threads 11, while the other end of the tubing is formed with machine threads 12. Inwardly of the machine threads 12, the tubing is given a substantially right angular bend as at 13, thus presenting a tube portion 14 and the threads 12 in a proper position for securement in a pipe line 15, by means of a threaded coupling and nipple 16.

The tubing is further formed with longitudinally spaced discharge openings 17 which it will be noted are located Patented Nov. 1, 1960 upon the side of the tubing opposite the angularly disposed tube portion 14, for a purpose to be explained. An annular kerf 18 is for-med in the tubing, positioned intermediate the openings 17 for reception of a bail of a bucket or the like, so that sap passing from the openings may discharge into the collection receptacle when the spout occupies the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawing.

The angularly disposed portion 14 of the tubing, not only enables installation of the spout 10 in a pipe line, but also forms a hand grip for rotating the spout for securement in a tree runk.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, with the openings 17 disposed upwardly, the sap will ilow into the pipe line 15 -for deposit in a suitable vat located in a collection depot, and obviously, if desired a suitable pump (not shown) may be installed in the pipe line to assist tlow of the sap into the vat.

However, where the customary collection of the sap is desired to be lfollowed, the spout 10 may be rotated within the trunk of the tree, so as to present the openings 17 downwardly with the right angular bend 14 extended upwardly, as shown to the right of Figure 1. In the position shown, a lbucket or bag 19 is employed, which may be suitably supported by engaging the bail of the bucket 0r bag within the kerf 18, the sap discharging through openings 17, and by reason of the high level of the threaded end 12 of the spout, sap will not normally reach a discharge position in the upturned portion of the spout, but in the event that an excessive discharge of sap should occur any sap discharged will be into the bucket or bag.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of the invention, this is by Way of illustration only, and I consider as my own all such modifications in construction as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A sap collection spout comprising a tube having a right angular bend inwardly of one end thereof forming a short pipe portion, the terminal end of the short pipe portion -being lformed with exterior machine screw threads for connection in a pipe line, the opposite end of said tube being tapered and provided with exterior sharp wood screw threads for penetrating and securement in the trunk of a tree, the pipe section between said short pipe portion and the tapered end being formed with a pair of sap discharge openings upon the side opposite the right angular bend of the short pipe portion, an annular kerf being provided between said sap discharge openings and said spout being axially rotatable within the tree trunk when disconnected from a pipe line to present said short pipe portion in an upward vertical position and said sap discharge openings in a downward direction to permit sap emitting from said openings to discharge into a collection receptacle suspended from said kerf.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 45,996 Hays Ian. 24, 1865 1,087,006 -Fitzsimons Feb. 10, 1914 1,186,741 Brower June 13, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS 489,913 Canada Jan. 27, 1953 

